Safety First! Tips on Increasing the Security of Your Home

The home should remain a safe haven for you and the family to feel relaxed after a long day. Although every year the number of property crimes in the United States have been slowly decreasing, you want to make sure the safety of the people you love is in the best hands.

Safety Tips

Here are several precautionary tips on how to improve your home security measures. First, never answer the door to someone that you do not know. If someone is at your door claiming to be from the electric, gas, telephone, or cable company and asking to come inside keep your door locked and call the company that he or she is claiming to be from for confirmation. Next, you should improve the lighting on the outsides of your home. Having a well-lit house deters burglars from breaking and entering your home where they could be seen. It may be a little suspicious if the outdoor lighting stays on from dawn until dusk. In that case, when picking out exterior lights, chose the motion-controlled or the infared-controlled option. Also, place your exterior lights far out or reach where they can’t be tampered with by strangers. Upgrade all of your locks on all of your doors and windows. You should also install shades on your doors and windows that make it difficult for someone on the outside to see inside your home. Since the garage door or shed is the preferred way of entry for many burglars, make sure those doors are closed shut and there aren’t any valuables stored in these spaces. When moving into a new home, it is wise to change all of the locks because you don’t know whom the previous owner gave copies of his keys to. Also, if you decide to remodel your home, never leave ladders or loose tools in sight that might want to invite burglars to your home. It is also smart to install a burglar alarm, which can be easily done by yourself or by a professional. If you decide to take a vacation, leave a spare key with someone you trust in case of an emergency and put the mail on hold so it is not obvious that you are away. Getting to know your neighbors can come in handy. They can park their car in your driveway to create the illusion that people are living there or check on your house while you are away. You also want to maintain your front yard by trimming the shrubs or trees, so people passing by can see whether or not someone is trying to break in. If you have large shrubbery, it makes it easier for a burglar to hide behind while trying to pry open your window or door. Lastly, pets are not only a great addition to the family but also can warn you in advance when they sense the presence of a stranger. Burglars also tend to avoid homes that have pets.